Hell Hath no Fury
by Skyler McAndrews
Summary: Rebecca wanted nothing to do with this war. But when it all came down to it, she knew who had her loyalties. COMPLETED
1. Chapter 1

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"Hell hath no fury like that of a woman scorned."

I say, "Hell hath no fury like a woman period."

He studied the tracks and smiled grimly; his prey was injured and leaving tracks.

"To horse!" He shouted before mounting up and turning toward the hills in the distance.

A real smile lightened his features for a moment before he wiped his face clean of any emotion. He looked at Captain Bordon, who nodded before giving the order to ride out.

Rebecca watched the boys play outside as she washed the dishes. She smiled at their antics, glad they could play in the midst of the war around them. Then, she heard the front door open. She turned and grabbed the pistol on the counter and stood at the side of the door. A soldier stepped through the doorway to stop dead in his tracks when he heard the sound of the pistol being cocked.

"Rebecca." He said quietly turning to face her.

"John!" she exclaimed lowering the pistol, "What are you doing here?"

"They're coming." He replied tiredly, "Shot the horse out from under me, I can't go any further."

Rebecca could clearly see the exhaustion on his face. She caught him before he hit the floor calling for the younger boys,

"Matthew, Robert!"

She half carried and half-dragged her brother-in-law into the front room onto the lower table there. The boys came in to find their uncle on the table while their aunt was removing his weapons and pouches. When she reached the pouch he grabbed her wrist,

"Don't, Rebecca." He said weakly.

"Are these?" she questioned quietly. John nodded slowly seeing that she could help him now.

"Take them and go, there is a camp not far from here. You'll be safer there."

"Safer from what, Uncle John?" Robert, the oldest who was eleven asked seriously.

"The Green Dragoons." John said weakly.

Everyone in the room got silent.

"Matthew, go upstairs and get yours and Robert's coats, and a change of clothes. Then, go to the barn. Robert, you go and saddle Mountain. Now!" she commanded briskly even while she moved to the front window where she could just make out the dust that signaled riders approaching.

"Go, Rebecca." John said weakly, trying to rise and just falling limply back onto the table. Rebecca turned and strode purposely to the kitchen where she prepared a bundle of food. Then, a few minutes later she hurried to the barn where the boys were waiting. Lifting Matthew up to sit behind Robert she handed them the bundle of food, and the bag that John had handed her,

"Ride to the camp, Robert. Don't look back, and if you see or hear anyone hide. I'll meet you there with your Uncle John as soon as we can, okay?"

The boys nodded. Matthew a bit tearfully, while Robert tried to be brave. Matthew clung to her hand for a moment before she nodded to Robert who spurred the horse into a gallop toward the bridge, and the Continental Army. Rebecca watched them for a moment before turning to the house and the growing cloud of dust that was quickly approaching her house. Rebecca had no more than five minutes, at most, she guessed. So she quickly hurried into the house and collected her pistol and the rifle. Then, she went into the front room, where John was now unconscious. She put the weapons down long enough to drag John's body into a suitable hiding place.

As she heard the hooves thundering up the path, she quickly grabbed the saber from over the hearth, and prepared to defend her home. She saw the uniforms of the dreaded dragoons, and sent a prayer skyward. Then, she brought out the pistol, and aimed at the closest dragoon and fired. He hit the dirt, she dropped the pistol and grabbed the rifle, and took aim again. Another dragoon fell to the dust. However, unawares to Rebecca more dragoons had approached from the far side of the house, out of her line of vision, and were making their way into the house, led by Captain Bordon.

The dragoons crept through the house and had almost gotten to Rebecca unnoticed until a feeble cry from John, who had awakened at the sound of gunfire, caused her to turn and draw the saber. A dragoon pulled out a pistol and aimed toward John. Rebecca quickly brought the saber up and hit the muzzle of the gun causing the bullet to fly harmlessly through the ceiling. Another dragoon came at her form the side, she parried his blow and turned to face another dragoon, she might have been okay, if the Captain hadn't come up behind her and knocked the saber form her hand. He then held her firmly by the arms turning her to face his stony commanding officer, Colonel William Tavington.

Tavington studied the woman for a moment before turning his attention to the dispatch rider,

"Where are the dispatches?"

John looked at him defiantly. Tavington sighed and pulled out his pistol and pointed it toward Rebecca, who cried,

"Don't tell him anything, John."

Tavington cocked the pistol and waited,

"I lost them."

"Wrong answer rebel." He said and the explosion from the pistol echoed through the room, to be drowned out by Rebecca's cry,

"John, NO!" she struggled to break free from the captain's iron hold on her. She choked back the tears and forced herself to look the colonel in the eyes defiantly, her eyes glittering with unshed tears.

Tavington studied the woman in front of him with admiration for her, albeit misguided, courage. She had, single-handedly by the looks of the boy's condition, injured two of his men, and fought off another two until the good captain had finally disarmed her. Now she looked him boldly in the eye, after having witnessed the death of the boy at his hands.

"Your turn, where are the documents he carried?"

"What documents?" she asked looking genuinely confused.

"Don't play games with me, girl," he said menacingly, "I know what that boy carried and I will have them. Where are they?"

Just then a dragoon came into the room and stopped short at the scene in front of him.

"Report, lieutenant." Tavington snapped not looking away from the woman in front of him.

"A horse left here a short time ago, sir."

Tavington watched the fear flash through her eyes before she stifled the emotion. He saw her look at him, and he smiled a slow and threatening smile,

"Tell me, my dear, who is it that is on that horse?"

Rebecca watched him warily determined not to give anything else away.

"Where are they going I wonder?" he said mockingly while stepping closer to her, "When I find those documents, and I will, you will watch while I kill whomever you sent them off with, and then we'll have a little talk about where your loyalties lie." Tavington nodded at Bordon who then released Rebecca.

"Send out patrols, they couldn't have gotten far," he snapped. Then, he turned back to Rebecca and bowed mockingly,

"Thank you ever so much for offering your hospitality to His Majesties' Forces." Tavington then turned on his heel and strode out the door, locking it on his way out.

Rebecca waited until she heard the voices get further away. Then, she looked out the windows and watched the dragoons pass by. When she saw that there were no more dragoons headed toward the window, she slipped into the secret passage that lead to the old slave quarters down the hill.

Captain Bordon approached Colonel Tavington,

"She's gone," he said solemnly.

Tavington nodded,

"I thought as much. I'll retrieve her."

The captain watched him go, and turned to the patrols that had just come in from the surrounding forest.

Rebecca finally reached the entrance to one of the slave quarters, and she pushed the door open a crack and listened for any extra noise. When she didn't hear anything she pushed the door open the rest of the way and crept into the room. All of a sudden strong hands covered her mouth, and she found herself trapped in the corner,

"Leaving so soon, Mistress Rebecca?" a smug male voice asked. Rebecca fought back the shudder as she recognized his voice.

"No screaming, or I shall be forced to resort to unpleasantness, and we wouldn't want that," he said to her. Rebecca shook her head and waited for the hand to uncover her mouth. The instant that the hand left her mouth, she found that her mouth was covered with his. All thought fled at the touch of his mouth on hers, so passionate and so very familiar. When they finally stopped to breathe he smirked in the darkness at her,

"Marvelous performance. I do believe that you have confused the good Captain."


	2. Chapter 2

Rebecca slowly smiled as she looked up at him,

"Men are so easily convinced," she said before adding thoughtfully, "Except you."

Colonel William Tavington smiled, eyeing the woman trapped against him,

"Yes, well, we cannot all be fooled so easily."

Sarah grinned knowingly at his expression before forcing a wide-eyed fearful look onto her face,

"Please just let me go. I don't know anything about the rebel dispatches. Don't hurt me!" she begged pitifully.

Tavington laughed quietly,

"Where are they?"

"In my bodice," she replied.

"Of course," he said retrieving a knife.

"William," she said backing up as far as the wall would let her go, "Is that entirely necessary?" she asked gasping when he split the front of her dress open leaving her in her chemise and stays.

"Absolutely," he replied pushing the dress from her shoulders.

"Right, damsel in distress," she breathed as his hands went searching for the dispatches.

Tavington smiled at her as she bit her lip and closed her eyes,

"Are you in distress, Rebecca?"

She nodded,

"Oh yes, absolutely."

Tavington's smile widened even more,

"I'll give you distress…"

Sometime later Rebecca leaned into William, her head on his chest with his arms wrapped around her.

"You have to go back soon," she said quietly.

William closed his eyes,

"I know, but I want you to come with me."

Rebecca looked up at him shocked,

"What? I have to go to the rebel camp."

William looked down at her,

"Are those copies?" he asked nodding toward the dispatches on the broken table.

"Of course," she snapped, "I would never have been able to go back if they thought I turned over information to the enemy."

"It doesn't matter anymore. This is getting too dangerous, I want you away from here and safe."

Rebecca twisted in his arms to free herself,

"Safe? There is no safe place. Besides, who would I be, Colonel William Tavington's mistress? I am already that." She paced by the window, "What do you want from me?"

William looked her in the eye as he approached her,

"I want you to marry me."

Rebecca's legs would have given out if her hadn't caught her,

"What?"

He grinned boyishly,

"Damsel in distress?"

Rebecca smiled weakly before hitting his shoulder,

"Why would you want to marry me? My family would never approve, there for I have no dowry."

William shrugged,

"I believe that I have found a way to fix that problem."

Rebecca arched an eyebrow at him,

"Yes?"

He shook his head,

"That is not the point right now. The point is that you are going to come back with me and be my bride."

Rebecca looked at him,

"So sure of yourself, are you? I don't recall anyone asking me to marry."

William looked at her exasperatedly,

"You're going to insist on this nonsense, aren't you?"

Rebecca grinned,

"Absolutely, it isn't everyday that you're proposed to!"

He sighed before looking at her,

"If you ever tell anyone that this occurred I will deny it."

Rebecca shrugged,

"It will be in my memory forever." She said smirking.

William, shaking his head, slowly got to one knee,

"Rebecca, will you be my wife?"

Rebecca pretended to think about it, ignoring William's growl,

"I'll think about it."

William shot up and stood over her menacingly,

"What?"

Rebecca shrugged mischievously,

"I said I would think about it. I might get a better offer."

William backed her up against the wall until Rebecca laughed and held up her hands,

"Oh, Stop with the intimidation, I'm going to marry you."

William brightened up,

"I intimidated you?" he said looking pleased with himself.

Rebecca giggled,

"No, you did not. However, I knew what you were trying to do."

William groaned,

"Damn, I was hoping that if I could intimidate you that you would behave yourself."

Rebecca glared at him,

"Oh no. If you want someone well behaved, you might as well go back to Lord Cornwallis and one of the ninnies that flutters around at his parties."

William raised an eyebrow and looked at her gathering her into his arms,

"You mean that you won't behave now? And stay at home and cook, and clean, and mend my clothes, and attend those absolutely boring parties with me?"

Rebecca shook her head, then paused, making a face,

"Well, maybe. I mean the housework of course. But the parties, that is asking a lot."

William laughed,

"You'll only have to go if I am there."

Rebecca shrugged moving closer to him,

"Well, that is fine, as long as you have to suffer as well."

William laughed before he kissed her. Then, he turned to gather the dispatches. Rebecca was partially out of the door before William caught her wrist,

"Where are you going?"

Rebecca frowned at him,

"The rebel camp."

William looked at her in consternation,

"I thought we had decided that you were coming with me."

Rebecca shook her head,

"No, You decided I was coming with you. I need to go back once more, they are planning something big and I don't know what it is yet, but I'm going to find out and then I will be back."

William scowled,

"I don't like this idea."

Rebecca smiled at him,

"Stop worrying so much. I'll be fine."

William retained hold of her wrist and tugged her back towards him,

"And how will I find you when you are done?"

Rebecca smiled,

"You won't. I'll find you."

William shook his head,

"I still don't like this."

Rebecca reached up on her toes and brought his head down to hers,

"Neither do I, but I can help. So I will go to the camp, stay for a few days and look around. Then, before you know it I will be knocking on your door."

William leaned down the last few inches and kissed, hard and possessively,

"See that you do, soon" he said seriously.

Rebecca touched his cheek before nodding,

"You worry too much."

"You don't worry enough." He replied solemnly.

Rebecca smiled before whispering,

"I love you," and quickly moving into the woods toward the rebel camp.

She was out of sight before William responded,

"And I you."


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Sorry it took me so long to update. Anyway, I know that Tavington might seem a bit out of character here, but I think everyone has a history, and nobody starts out as icy as Tavington is in _The Patriot_. So, I gave him a bit of a boyish side to begin with. And now, on to the chapter, enjoy!

Rebecca was seriously thinking of kicking the young sergeant in front of her. She knew that being captured by British soldiers and escaping was supposed to be terrifying, but Good God! How many times could she cry and wring her hands in despair, honestly?

"Are you sure that you don't want to see a physician?"

Rebecca shook her head and tried again for the 'pitiful woman' façade,

"I just want to forget what happened."

The Sergeant James Patterson nodded sympathetically, and patted her arm,

"You just go and rest in the tent. The young boys will be sent over to your tent in the morning."

Rebecca mentally groaned, before responding,

"Oh, thank you so very much, Captain."

Sergeant Patterson blushed before stammering,

"Oh, I am just a sergeant, ma'am."

Rebecca feigned surprise,

"Is there a difference?"

The sergeant just waved it away. Rebecca was almost to the tent when she heard the Sergeant speak up again,

"Ma'am?"

She turned around,

"Yes?"

"We'll get those redcoat scoundrels."

Rebecca pretended to be thrilled by that news,

"Thank you, Captain."

She turned and entered her tent.

'_Redcoat scoundrels' Ha!_ She thought indignantly, _They have more manners in one finger than you damn rebels have in your whole bodies!_

Rebecca had studied the security of this camp when she was found and brought in by a patrol. She was having serious doubts about her ability to get back out of the camp unnoticed. Not to mention the number of higher-ranking Continentals that were here. Something was definitely afoot.

However, after a day of questioning, and a night of 'running' from the British she had not had to lie about her state of health. She _was_ exhausted and so she had no difficulty at all falling asleep, even on the uncomfortable cot. Her last thought before she completely faded into darkness was of William,

_I am coming home soon, I promise._

However, William was having no such luck falling asleep in his own, better appointed, tent. He was pacing, cursing himself for allowing Rebecca to leave when he heard Bordon outside of tent,

"Enter."

Captain Bordon studied his pacing commanding officer, mildly surprised by his open show of agitation but made no comment of that,

"There are a high number of rebel officers at the camp. Though, it appears that the rebels are moving out sometime soon."

William looked up,

"How do you know that?"

Bordon shrugged,

"The scout sent to follow her noticed signs of breaking camp."

William nodded,

"And the scout has his orders."

Bordon nodded,

"Yes, sir, exactly as you gave them to me."

William nodded,

"Good. Thank you, Captain."

Bordon left the tent quickly, but not before hearing his normally silent commanding officer curse worriedly,

"Damn it Rebecca, get out of there!"

Rebecca counted the number of cannons with growing dismay. The rebels were obviously planning something rather large to have this much artillery. However, no matter how polite the officers were, they clamed up about military matters when Rebecca came within view of them. She turned around and saw her nephews running toward her. Rebecca plastered a smile on her face. She was fond of the boys, but they would hate her if they knew what she was doing. Their parents were staunch Colonials. However, for now, though, she was still their beloved "Aunt Becky", so smiled and caught them up into huge hugs.

Over the next few days it was her nephews who provided her with the most useful information they informed her of the different troops, and where each regiment was sleeping. Matthew had even overheard the officers talking about towns and troop movements. Rebecca had smiled to herself while answering his questions honestly. She contained her excitement for the rest of the day as she waited anxiously until she could plead exhaustion and creep out of the camp.

The colonel watched the young woman answer the boy's questions. He saw what looked like a look of triumph on the young woman's face and wondered. He turned to the lieutenant next to him,

"Who is that?"

The lieutenant shrugged,

"Rebecca… Rebecca something, I don't remember. Shall I find out?"

The colonel shook his head,

"No, she came in with the boys then?"

The lieutenant shook his head,

"No, sir. She came in a few hours later looking… well… distressed, sir." The young man finished, mumbling and blushing. The colonel looked at him sharply,

"Did someone question her?"

The lieutenant looked surprised,

"Why, no, sir. She was distressed and asking after the boys, and…"

"And she has had free reign of the camp?"

The lieutenant was beginning to understand,

"Yes, sir."

The colonel watched the young woman glance toward the woods,

"I want her followed, and when she runs bring her to me."

The lieutenant frowned,

"Run? Run where sir? Her brother-in-law is in the Continental Army."

The colonel gave a humorless smile,

"She will run, straight to the British if we let her go."

The lieutenant looked shocked,

"Do you mean… That is to say… She is…"

"A spy."


	4. Chapter 4

AN- I did a little historical research here, so I wasn't completely off. Tavington's real-life counterpart** Tarleton** stayed in the South, mainly in South Carolina. He established his reputation as being ruthless after the fall of Charleston when he rode 40 miles north and attacked a group of 350 Continental Soldiers under the command of Col. Buford. The Americans eventually put up a white flag, but Tarleton ordered his men to attack anyway killing 113, and wounding another 150. This attack is mentioned briefly in the movie, when Gabriel comes in wounded, carrying dispatches.

Lieutenant Greene watched the tent where the young woman had disappeared. She had eaten dinner with the children, and then disappeared into the tent. He glanced back toward the groups of soldiers around the various fires. His brow furrowed when he realized that a few of the men where watching the same tent. Greene quickly checked his horse to make sure that she was ready to go. Somehow he had the feeling that something was going to happen tonight.

In her tent Rebecca waited impatiently for the soldiers to go to bed. She waltzed a few steps imagining what it would be like to be Mrs. Tavington. She smiled a silly little smile as she planned her wedding. She watched and waited as slowly the fires started to go out, as one by one the soldiers headed off to bed. She stifled a groan, as the soldiers around the fire closest to her still didn't wander off to go to sleep,

_"Don't they have work to do in the morning?"_ she thought exasperatedly. She chanced a look outside her tent. There were three soldiers around the fire. She waited for a while longer before she lay down on the ground to see if there were soldiers around the back of her tent. Rebecca didn't see anyone but decided to wait for a bit longer before attempting to sneak out.

The colonials watching Rebecca's tent yawned. The woman hadn't done anything but sleep all night. One by one it appeared that they dropped off to sleep. Rebecca smiled to herself waiting until the last one had started snoring. Then, she crept toward the edge of the camp. She hid inside the empty mess tent waiting for the sentries to change.

When the sentries changed, the soldiers were too preoccupied with getting to bed to notice a single figure creeping out into the forest. However, that single figure didn't see the other two sentries posted to watch her. Rebecca crept toward the old farm, having no idea that she was being followed.

Rebecca nearly screamed when suddenly she saw a man in front of her. The man quickly stepped back and bowed from the waist,

"Lieutenant Greene, Madame." He said quietly.

Rebecca couldn't help but smile a little as she recognized the crisp tones of a British accent. She gave a little curtsey, and responded

"Miss Rebecca, sir."

The lieutenant straightened and pulled her toward where two horses were tethered,

"We must make haste, you were being watched."

Rebecca glanced around the woods furtively,

"If something happens you must tell Wil… Colonel Tavington about a group of Continentals to the north of Charleston."

Greene listened attentively while helping Rebecca into her saddle. He turned quickly at the sound of a twig breaking. He slapped Rebecca's horse, sending her into an immediate gallop, while jumping to follow suit. He quickly took the lead, so that Rebecca could follow him.

William paced restlessly in his tent. A week, she had been gone a week. He mentally berated himself; it wasn't as if he was never going to see her again. She would be here anytime now and then… He gave a rueful smile. Well, then he was going to marry her. He thought about it and rolled his eyes, she was going to insist upon a church, he was sure of it. He sat there and nearly laughed aloud at how he was acceding to demands that she hadn't even made. He rolled his eyes and prepared to sleep for the evening. He didn't want her to think he had been _that_ worried while she had been gone.

The sound of hoof beats suddenly pulled him from his light sleep. He heard shouts for the surgeon and he immediately jumped up. He was out of the tent in a moment and heading toward the commotion. Young Lieutenant Greene was being placed on a stretcher. The young man saw him and tried to get up. The doctors held him down and tried to stop him from struggling, and loosing more blood,

"Colonel Tavington, sir!" he cried trying to get up.

William moved to the boy's side and forced himself to be steady,

"Calm down, man. What is it?"

Lieutenant Greene calmed down slightly as he gained Tavington's attention,

"She was leaving. She told me everything she could before they came…"

Cold fear crawled through William's veins,

"Who came?"

Greene closed his eyes,

"The colonials, They had her followed. She tried to follow me but, they shot her…" Tavington wanted to close his eyes, but he kept them staring straight ahead as Greene finished his story, "She fought them, but…"

Captain Bordon watched, as Tavington's grip on the stretcher became so tight that his knuckles turned white,

"Was she alive?" he asked quietly.

The lieutenant nodded slowly, exhaustion and blood loss catching up with him,

"Buford," the young man said closing his eyes, "She said something about Buford."

Tavington nodded to the doctors who took the stretcher toward the hospital tents. He turned and wordlessly started off toward his tent. Captain Bordon followed wordlessly,

"I want to know whatever else she told him." Tavington said expressionlessly.

"Yes, sir." Captain Bordon replied.

"I also want the location of that camp."

"Yes, sir." The captain responded quietly again. He turned to leave before turning back to his commanding officer, "She is not dead, sir."

Tavington didn't say anything so Captain Bordon started off toward the main company to begin giving orders. He never heard the Colonel's reply,

"Not yet, anyway."

Rebecca bit back a cry of pain as they cleaned the shallow bullet wound in her shoulder. She ignored the hostile stares of her captors and bit her lip. She watched nervously as the commanding officer General Gates walked into the tent.

General Gates looked at the woman in shock. She looked tired, dirty, and she was bleeding,

"This is the spy?" he asked sounding skeptical.

Colonel Macavoy, the man responsible for her capture, nodded,

"Yes sir, she was found sneaking out of the camp, where she met a British Dragoon."

Gates' eyes snapped back to the woman,

"What did you tell him?"

Rebecca, looked at him and closed her eyes tiredly,

"Tell who, sir?"

Gates advanced on her, his expression serious,

"Girl, the punishment for espionage is death. Do you want to die?"

Rebecca shook her head, refusing to answer for fear her voice would crack. Gates leaned toward her,

"If you cooperate, then perhaps we can spare your life. You are young, and young ladies are… impressionable."

Rebecca's eyes snapped open and she glared at him,

"Impressionable? Your soldiers killed my parents! The believed in their king and they were killed. I was sent to live with my sister's family, who treated me like a slave, since I thought it wrong to betray my loyalty to my king. Impressionable?" her voice rose slightly before she regained control, "I owe you no cooperation. Do what you will, sir, but I have done nothing more than to serve my King."

Gates studied the young woman and turned to Colonel Macavoy,

"What is the worst scenario?"

Macavoy shrugged,

"They know about Colonel Buford, they know where we are and the make up of our forces. There isn't really anyway to know, sir, unless she tells us.""

Gates nodded slowly before turning back to the woman on the cot,

"This is your last chance, woman."

Rebecca glared at him before turning away to face the back of the tent. Gates shook his head before looking at Macavoy,

"She is a spy and she must be treated as such."

Macavoy looked slightly surprised,

"Sir?"

Gates' gaze hardened,

"She knew what she was doing."

Macavoy saluted smartly and left the tent. Gates turned and studied the young woman again,

"You will be hung tomorrow."

Rebecca nodded her eyes shut for a moment before she forced herself to look at the general,

"What day is it?" she asked quietly.

Gates looked at her confused, but answered anyway,

"The fifth of May."

Rebecca nodded,

"Thank you."

Gates glanced at her one more time before leaving the tent. Rebecca stared at the ceiling ignoring the burning pain in her shoulder. A tear rolled down her cheek,

"William…"


	5. Chapter 5

AN- I really hope that the guys aren't out of character, but in "The Patriot" you only see one side of them, so I took a little bit of liberty. I hope it was believable.

William Tavington paced in his tent, swearing profusely. He was being ordered not to leave the camp. Rebecca had provided him with important information. She had provided his superiors with information about troop numbers and movements, and they were just going to leave her to die. He couldn't do that, she was too important to him.

Tavington waited until he was sure that all of his men had retired for the evening. He didn't want the men to have to deal with any repercussions. He quietly led his horse away from the camp. He mounted quickly and turned his horse to find Captain Bordon and a few of the men in front of him,

"We are ready, sir."

Tavington studied Bordon,

"Ready for what?"

"To brave the rebels and rescue Miss Rebecca," he responded seriously.

Tavington looked surprised. Bordon shrugged, giving a rare smile,

"I always wanted to rescue a damsel in distress."

Tavington gave a grim smile,

"Let us not keep her waiting then."

Rebecca watched the preparations for her execution. Out of respect to the boys, General Gates had decided that she would not be executed until after the main forces left. The main forces would be including her nephews, who were being taken to family in Charleston. She was thankful that the boys weren't going to witness her execution. She knew that someday they would find out what she had done, but hopefully they would be old enough to understand why.

Rebecca choked back a sob; she wasn't even sure why she did it some days. She shook herself and wrapped her good arm around herself, trying to get control of her emotions. It wasn't going to do her any good to cry like a ninny now. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath thinking back to better times. Times before the rebels had ruined her life.

_Her mother was in the dining room discussing the dinner menu with Mary, her older sister. Father was discussing the spring planting with Peter and Mark. William was coming to dinner that evening. Her mother had smiled gently at her agitation and sent her out to take a walk along the river's edge, to "get her out from underfoot"._

The soldiers posted to guard her noticed the smile on her face, but couldn't figure out why on earth she was smiling hours before she was to be executed.

She came back early to prepare, and her best friend Elizabeth had helped her to get dressed in her now gown. It was a lovely blue that brought out her eyes. She ran her hands down the skirt smoothing it down as she heard the knock at the front door that signaled William's arrival. She looked into Elizabeth's dark eyes suddenly frozen in panic,

_ "I can't go down there, Elizabeth. What if… What if he is only being polite?"_

_Elizabeth led her to the door, and clucked her tongue,_

_ "Calm down, Miss Rebecca. The way that that man looks at you has nothing to do with him being polite."_

Rebecca had hugged Elizabeth and smiled, before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She opened the door and walked toward the stairs. She paused half way down the stairs as her father and William had looked up at her arrival. Their conversation broke off as they both stared at her. Her father had looked at her with love and pride in his eyes, while William's gaze had burned over possessively making her feel warm, even in the cool evening air.

By the time that Tavington and his men had reached the edge of the rebel encampment most of the forces had already left. There was not even one whole regiment left guarding the woman they had condemned as a spy. Tavington saw the thick rope hanging from a nearby tree and had to work to control the involuntary shudder as he thought of his beloved Rebecca hanging from that tree. He turned to his men,

"We will have to make this quick, and clean. We will move in when they bring her out to that tree," he said motioning to the tree on the edge of the encampment, "I cannot order you to follow me. If anyone wishes to leave now, No one will gainsay him."

No one even moved. Tavington nodded appreciatively,

"I… Thank you."

Rebecca opened her eyes when she heard Colonel Macavoy enter the tent,

"It is time, miss."

Rebecca stood up, a little shakily from the pain in her shoulder, and nodded. She followed Col. Macavoy out of the tent, and the two guards posted at the entrance of her tent fell into step behind her. She was almost to the tree when all hell broke loose. Shots were fired, and the small group surrounding her immediately dropped to the ground and turned to find the source of the firing. A small group of horsemen were almost upon the small group. Rebecca recognized William immediately, and stood up. He reached down and lifted her onto his horse, moving them away from the small group of continentals.

The other Dragoons made quick work of the remaining continentals. Rebecca turned her face into Williams jacket, not wanting to think about death anymore. AT the edge of the forest William dismounted and pulled Rebecca off the horse. He quickly cut the ropes binding her and pulled her to him, holding her tightly, as if the convince himself that she was real, and not a figment of his imaginations.

William let go of her as he registered he quiet moan of pain. She bit her lip as he studied the wound on her shoulder. He cursed quietly, as he looked at her again,

"You are never again allowed to leave the safety of the house I shall provide for you."

Rebecca couldn't help it, she laughed quietly,

"I agree."

William closed his mouth, the tirade he had been about to launch into momentarily stopped,

"You agree?"

Rebecca nodded,

"I agree."

William looked taken aback,

"You don't want to argue with me?"

Rebecca delicately shrugged her good shoulder,

"Would it do me any good?"

William's expression sobered immediately,

"Not in the slightest."

He gently pulled her close to him, breathing in her scent, and enjoying the feel of her in his arms again,

"I can't lose you again, Rebecca. You are the best part of me, and God help us all if I should lose you."

Rebecca pulled away from him for a moment, shocked to see the tears in his eyes,

"Oh, William," She said softly, "I am so sorry."

Rebecca ignored her injured shoulder and threw her arms around his neck. She dimly heard a warning shout from one of the Dragoons, and saw movement from behind William. Using her terror to add to her strength she pulled with all of her might to put her body between William and the shot she distantly heard fired. Suddenly a searing pain in her chest dimmed the pain in her shoulder. She faintly heard William's pain filled cry of denial as she collapsed completely into his arms.

William gently laid her on the ground cradling her body, unaware of the blood covering his hands,

"Rebecca! What have you done?" he cried out, terror- stricken.

She opened her eyes slowly, the fire in them fading, clouded by pain,

"You are safe?" she whispered.

William looked at her helplessly,

"Why?"

Rebecca slowly smiled,

"I love…" she coughed violently for a moment, blood coming up.

William shushed her, desperately trying to remain calm,

"Stop!" he commanded her, "Save your strength, you have to live."

Rebecca wanted to laugh, but she couldn't. She used the last of her strength to lift her arm and put it to his face,

"I love you, William Tavington."

William closed his eyes briefly against the tears that threatened to fall, before saying sternly,

"You're going to live, and when you are better, I am going to lecture you for a month."

Rebecca's eyes filled with tears of helplessness,

"It would have been an honor to have married you," she whispered feeling her eyes begin to close.

William's panic broke through his control and the tears began to fall,

"Rebecca! Please, don't leave me here! I can't… Don't leave me!"

Rebecca couldn't even hold her hand to his face any longer,

I'm… sor…ry, William."

"Rebecca!"

"Wil…"

William hunched over as the pain took his breath away. He was aware of someone sobbing. It took a few moments for him to realize that he was the one sobbing. His men gathered in a circle, silently. William clutched Rebecca's body to him, and sobbed, pleading incoherently for her to come back.

William buried his betrothed in her family's plot where the rest of her family had been buried. He never cried or laughed again. Later, his men would recall what he had said to Rebecca in their last moments together, _'You are the best part of me, and God help us all if I should lose you.'_

Colonel William Tavington turned into one of the most ruthless leaders of the southern campaign. His reputation was established after the fall of Charleston on May 12, 1780. Six days after Rebecca's death, he led his unit 40 miles north and killed the 350 troops found under the command of Colonel Buford.

He was killed several months later by, "The Ghost", Benjamin Martin, at the battle of Cowpens. The few remaining men in his unit made sure that he was buried next to Rebecca.


End file.
